I’ve spent a total of about 9 months in Colombia, and it’s safe to say that it’s one of my two favorite countries. There’s still so much more that I have yet to see and I look forward to paying this great place another visit.
DISCLAIMER:
I only list places or activities that I know firsthand. This is a personal account and I’m giving you my experience.
Let’s get started!
1. Hot Springs in Manizales
Manizales is a small city nestled in the Andes, and the gateway to Nevado Del Ruiz (Los Nevados National Park), Colombia’s highest active volcano. About a 195 km south of Medellin and a 4 hour drive, it’s off the beaten path for like 95% of foreigners that visit Colombia. In the outskirts of the city and into the hillside, you’ll reach the hot springs. Heal yourself in the detoxifying waters with lush mountains in the distance. Take a deep breath, exhale, and take part in the satisfying and relaxing experience.
2. Attend a Football Match
The first soccer game that I had ever gone to in my life was at Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellin. To top it off it was a “Classico”, basically a heated rivalry game. The crowd was BANANAS. The energy and passion from the fans was relentless and infectious with constant chanting, flag waving, tossing of thousands of pieces of confetti, and even some pushing. If you’re a football fan, make it happen and go see a match. It’s easy to get tickets too, so no excuses. The most popular team is Atlético Nacional so check their schedule.
3. Coffee Plantation Tour in Salento
Salento is a charming town in the department of Quindio, one of Colombia’s best coffee producing regions. The same department is also home to Cocora Valley, a popular tourist destination known for its unique Wax Palms. The artisanal coffee cultivated here is of excellent quality. During the tour you will learn everything you need to know about coffee from the plant itself, to every aspect of production and distribution. It’s quite impressive. I personally went with Finca el Ocaso, however there are many other options from which to choose.
4. Language Exchanges
In my opinion, language exchanges are the best social events for visitors of Colombia. There are many popping up around the more populated cities, but best one I’ve attended is Gringo Tuesdays, which takes place in Medellin, Bogotá, and Cali. It happens at a bar where different tables are assigned to different languages, the majority being Spanish and English. Coming here is a productive way to meet locals and international travelers while teaching and practicing languages. In Medellin (and possibly in the other locations but I’m not sure), if you are the assigned facilitator of conversation at a table of your native language, you receive a free beer every hour. The events usually last a few hours.
5. Rock Rock Rock
Bogotá, a UNESCO City of Music, guards a deeply rooted rock music scene ranging from mainstream international acts to intense underground punk and metal. The city offers a diverse experience anchored by major festivals and venues. In July, Simón Bolívar Parkhosts the largest free rock festival in Latin America, drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees. The lineup features a mix of established international headliners and local Colombian bands, showcasing a wide array of subgenres from funk to power metal. I was never a punk fan until I started listening to a couple Colombian bands, and now I’m a casual listener of rock in Spanish.
6. Tayrona National Park
I only spent one day in Tayrona National Park due to my travel schedule. It was 1000% NOT ENOUGH time. I promise I’ll go back someday to finish what I started because Tayrona is a stunning Caribbean coastal paradise; a perfect mix of white-sand beaches and jungle. It’s even home to vibrant coral reefs, protected within a biodiverse sanctuary near the Sierra Nevada mountains. My most vivid memory was strolling through a jungle littered with ripe mangos on the ground that were being shaken from branches by a pack monkeys high up in some gigantic mango trees. I must have eaten like 15 little mangos that day. Afterwards I found an abandoned beach and explored it completely alone for the rest of my stay there. Being in that setting in complete solitude was a spiritual experience.
7. Salt Cathedral
I put this place on the list simply because I can’t compare it to anything else. The Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirá is a massive underground Roman Catholic church built within a real salt mine, featuring illuminated chapels and salt sculptures. The most impactful piece inside the mine is a 6-meter-tall cross carved from rock salt, accompanied by a spectacular light show and dramatically intense instrumental music. As you walk through the mine, you can listen to an audio tour with headphones that guides you through different stations, following the timeline of the well documented life and journey of Jesus Christ. Also offered is an extra 30-minute guided tour through a deeper part of the mine, called the Miner’s Route, for a hands-on miner experience. There are cool giftshops too with a selection of salt sculptures available for purchase.
8. Salsa Salsa Salsa
Colombia has a vibrant Salsa scene. The Salsa community is essentially worldwide, and here the community is a huge centerpiece. I’ve met people that spent weeks or even months learning Salsa in Medellin and actually got pretty good after starting completely from scratch. It’s not easy at all, but even mastering a basic routine will have you proud of yourself. I suck at Salsa personally, but If you have a passion for dance, you may fall in love here. Private classes are available and you also have the option to go to weekly events where people learn in groups. The biggest international salsa event in Colombia is the Feria de Cali, held annually from December 25-30 in Cali. The same city also hosts the Festival Mundial de Salsa in September.
9. Visit Minca
Rural Colombia is the greenest place I’ve ever seen, and Minca is no exception. The only ‘negative’ I have to say the little mountain town is the bugs are enormous and plentiful. Even the bumble bees were ridiculously huge, which was actually super cool. Positively though, that’s the result from the land being so pure. Minca is located in Santa Marta, and its beauty lies in its lush, biodiverse jungle setting in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It’s a cool escape with ecco hostels, picturesque mountain sunsets, vibrant waterfalls like Marinka and Pozo Azul for swimming, organic cacao fincas, amazing hiking, and craft beer. It’s all for nature lovers. I loved how dark it was at night, being able to hear everything in the distance.
10. Walking Tours in Medellin
Medellin has a fascinating and infamous history. Taking a walking tour around certain neighborhoods is a great way to learn about it. I particularly enjoyed small tours around Centro (downtown) as part of my class schedule at Zenda – Language and Community. There are variety of tours to choose from in Medellin, with the most popular being of Comuna 13. The district (comuna) was considered one of the most dangerous neighborhood in the world during the times of Pablo Escobar’s reign. Learning about the tragic history from the source is very eye opening, and along with an excellent recount of events you get great views of a gorgeous city in a now bustling neighborhood.
11. Spanish Classes
If I could describe the Spanish spoken in Colombia, I would say eloquently creative. Within the country there are several dialects of course, but in general, the Colombian accent and way of speaking is very recognizable.
A solid network of language schools have been established that offer in-person and online classes. There are also volunteering exchanges for native English speakers to teach English and learn Spanish simultaneously. The industry is consistently growing.
Besides the practical benefits of learning a foreign language for your travels, there are more more profound ones. Studying Spanish here will help you to better understand the courtesy in Colombian culture because it displays itself through the language. There is a certain level of respect that exists among Colombians and it’s easier to fully grasp if you speak Spanish and spend time with locals. I would highly suggest taking some classes if you’re in the country long enough!
(12. Don’t talk about Pablo Escobar)
Just leave it alone.
